A friend of the mother killed alongside her son and daughter has broken down during a heartbreaking tribute.
A devastated Toni Ata took to Facebook following the deaths of Michelle Petersen, 48, her daughter Bella, 15, and son Rua, eight, at their home at Ellenbrook, in Perth’s north-east, in the early hours of Sunday.
Teancum Vernon Petersen-Crofts, who is believed to be Ms Peterson’s son, has been charged with their murders.
‘My friend and her two babies were killed by her son who suffered from mental illness…and I’m so so devastated,’ Ms Ata says as she weeps into the camera.
Constantly wiping away her tears, she recalls the loving nature of her friend and children.
Teancum Vernon Peterson-Crofts (left) had a ‘psychotic episode’ in court after being charged with the murder of Michelle Petersen (right), her daughter, 15, and eight-year-old son in Perth
Ms Petersen’s daughter Bella (left), 15, and her son Rua (right), eight, also died at the home
Ms Ata said she found out about the alleged murders from Ms Petersen’s surviving daughter who was asking for ‘a friend’s number’
‘Shelly was my friend, she was kind, happy, loved her kids, all of them unconditionally.
‘At times in her life she was rough, she was flawed, but we all are, no one is perfect and Shell tried.’
She told news.com.au that she found out about the alleged murders from Ms Petersen’s surviving daughter, who was asking for ‘a friend’s number’.
Ms Ata responded to the daughter then wished her well in the girl replied saying: ‘Not really Aunty. Mum and Rua and Bella were killed this morning’.
She had already known of the three alleged murdered bodies in Ellenbrook but after receiving the message, Ms Ata realised it was Ms Petersen and her ‘two babies’.
Aliyah Grey, 14, Bella’s friend, said that the family was a beautiful family
‘The little brother would always wave and say hi when he walked past and the mum was very nice’ (pictured Bella)
The 19-year-old has been charged with three counts of murder over the deaths at the family home (pictured) in Ellenbrook, in Perth’s north-east, in the early hours of Sunday
Bella (left), 15, and her son Rua (right), eight, were allegedly killed by Ms Peterson’s son
Aliyah Grey, 14, Bella’s friend, told Daily Mail Australia had kind words for the slain family.
‘They were a beautiful family, very friendly, caring and kind,’ she said.
‘The little brother would always wave and say hi when he walked past and the mum was very nice.
‘My heart goes out to all their friends and family.’
Aliya’s mother, Helen Grey also spoke to Daily Mail Australia and said the community was rallying together to support each other.
‘They were a loving family…Bella was an amazing big sister, always looking after her younger brother and older sister – they all looked out for each other,’ Ms Grey said.
‘Rua he was a gorgeous boy and he’s friends with my son.
‘The community are coming together with the church to support each other.
‘It’s just really sad and unexpected.’
Experienced police officers have described the scene that confronted them when they arrived at the family’s home (pictured) as ‘potentially the most horrific they had ever been called to’
Police performed a search around the property and found a pair of scissors in the front yard
Petersen-Crofts appeared in a Perth court on Monday morning charged with three counts of murder.
Appearing before Midland Magistrate’s Court without a lawyer, the accused murderer broke down and rambled over the top of Magistrate Greg Smith, before allegedly attacking security.
‘He’s a criminal,’ Petersen-Crofts told the court, speaking of an unknown person.
‘He went to take me out bush. He did it. He came back from my family.
‘I needed to because mama is with me… I was painting a picture of Jesus and stayed there for two months. He punched me so hard in the head. So hard.
‘I left because I was that scared he was going to kill me. Mama told me to save myself.’
When court security attempted to calm him, he allegedly hit out at a guard, WA Today reports.
‘What are you looking at, serial killer? He looks like a serial killer and he’s a security guard,’ he said.
Neighbours chat with a police officer at the scene of the crime in Ellenbrook, Western Australia
The shattered friends of the family break down after hearing about the ‘horrific’ crime scene
Petersen-Crofts was remanded in custody to be held in a mental health unit until his next court appearance on Monday, July 23.
A day earlier, experienced police officers described the scene that confronted them when they arrived at the house as ‘the most horrific they had ever been called to’.
Police were first made aware of the crime when the teenager arrived at a 7-Eleven convenience store on The Broadway, a street in Ellenbrook, and asked the shop attendant to call for police.
Officers arrived at the shop about 1.30am on Sunday, before being led to the nearby family home.
There they allegedly found Ms Petersen and Rua inside, before discovering Bella in the backyard. She died on her way to hospital.
‘A senior homicide squad investigating officer said to me today it is potentially the most horrific crime scenes he has ever been called to,’ Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel said
Police allegedly found Ms Petersen and her eight-year-old son dead inside the home (pictured), before discovering the critically injured teenage girl in the backyard. She died on the way to hospital
Heartbroken relatives have paid tribute to the mother and two children on Facebook, while a GoFundMe page already set up to help pay for their funerals.
‘Help us raise some much needed funds and relieve just a little of the load her surviving kids now have on their shoulders,’ the fundraising page reads.
‘Shelly was kind, happy, loved her kids, all of them unconditionally. At times in her life she was rough , she was flawed, but we all are, no one is perfect and Shell tried.
‘Let’s give Shelly, Bella and Rua a wonderful send off.’
It is understood Ms Petersen has several other children and relatives living in New Zealand who are now flying to Western Australia.
A 19-year-old man has been charged with murder after being arrested at Ellenbrook early on Sunday
WA Police Assistant Commissioner Paul Steel described the crime scene to reporters on Sunday afternoon.
‘A senior homicide squad investigating officer said to me today it is potentially the most horrific crime scenes he has ever been called to,’ Mr Steel said.
During a search around the property police found a pair of scissors, which they took away in an evidence bag.
Mr Steel said it could take days for the scene to be processed.
According to records, the home is part of the state government’s public housing.
Neighbour Matthew Schreck said he had heard a commotion about an hour before police arrived in the street.
‘I just heard a lot of screaming and yelling and a bit of fighting, and the cops flew past here and headed up this way,’ he told reporters.
‘It was real loud yelling and screaming. It sounded pretty bad. It sounded like a man.’
The incident comes two days after neighbours called police who reportedly saw a man ‘aggressively waving a length of wood’ in the front yard, Nine News reported.
Forensic Services officer attend a crime scene where three people have been found dead in Ellenbrook
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